Physical Sciences

Giant gorging black holes may explain rapid growth of infant universe
Astronomers have studied 51 quasars with NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and have found they may represent an unusual population of black holes that consume excessive amounts of matter. Credits: Illustration: CXC/M. Weiss, X-ray images: ASA/CXC/Penn State/B. Luo et al.
New NASA coalition to lead search for life on distant worlds includes two leaders at Penn State
Click on the image for a high-resolution image. The search for life beyond our solar system requires unprecedented cooperation across scientific disciplines. NASA's NExSS collaboration includes those who study Earth as a life-bearing planet (lower right), those researching the diversity of solar system planets (left), and those on the new frontier, discovering worlds orbiting other stars in the galaxy (upper right).Credits: NASA
Search for Advanced Civilizations Beyond Earth Finds Nothing Obvious in 100,000 Galaxies
A false-color image of the mid-infrared emission from the Great Galaxy in Andromeda, as seen by Nasa's WISE space telescope. The orange color represents emission from the heat of stars forming in the galaxy's spiral arms. The G-HAT team used images such as these to search 100,000 nearby galaxies for unusually large amounts of this mid-infrared emission that might arise from alien civilizations. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/WISE Team
Inside the most powerful explosions: Discoveries pave the way for next-generation neutrino telescopes
In the most common type of gamma-ray burst, illustrated here, a dying massive star forms a black hole (left), which drives a particle jet into space. Light across the spectrum arises from hot gas near the progenitor star, from collisions within the jet, and through the jet's interaction with its surroundings. Image Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Inauguration of the High Altitude Water Cherekov Observatory
Professor Miguel Mostafá proudly showing off the PMT (deploying and) mounting mechanisms designed and built by his research group.
Benkovic research featured as "Paper of the Week" by The Journal of Biological Chemistry
Stephen J. Benkovic
Jeong honored with Outstanding Young Researcher Award from the Association of Korean Physicists in America
Donghui Jeong
Penn State Science Students Selected to Study at CERN
Stephanie Brown, left, and Melissa Quinnan, right, were selected to participate in the University of Michigan's CERN Summer REU.
Research in Action: NSF Grant Helps to Further the Search for Earthlike Exoplanets
Jason Wright
Albert honored with title of Distinguished Professor
Reka Albert
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